Stravinsky - le rossignol Time: Ancient times Place: China. The Fisherman acts as commentator on the storys events. Act 1 At the seashore just before sunrise, a Fisherman hears the song of the Nightingale, which causes him to forget his troubles. The Cook has brought officials from the court of the Emperor to hear the Nightingale, telling of the beauty of its singing. However, the Nightingale is nowhere to be heard. The Court Chamberlain promises the Cook a position as private cook to the Emperor, if she can find the Nightingale, who finally appears, and receives an invitation from the Cook and the Chamberlain to sing for the Emperor. The Nightingale accepts the invitation, but says that its sweetest song is in the forest. Act 2 Courtiers festoon the palace with lanterns in advance of the singing of the Nightingale. The Cook describes the Nightingale to the courtiers noting that it is small, gray and virtually invisible, but its song causes its listeners to cry. A procession denotes the Emperors arrival. He commands the Nightingale to sing, and its singing touches him so deeply that he offers the bird a reward of a golden slipper to wear about its neck. Later, three Japanese emissaries offer the Emperor a mechanical nightingale, which begins to sing. The genuine bird flies away, and the angry emperor orders it banished from his realm. He names the mechanical bird first singer. Act 3 The Emperor is ill and near death; the figure of Death appears in the Emperors chamber. The ghosts of the Emperors past deeds visit him. while he calls for his court musicians, but the genuine nightingale has reappeared, in defiance of the imperial edict, and has begun to sing. Death hears the Nightingales song and is greatly moved, and asks it to continue, which it does on condition that Death returns to the emperor his crown, sword and standard. Death assents and gradually removes himself from the scene as the Nightingale continues to sing. The Emperor slowly regains his strength, and on seeing the Nightingale, offers it the first singer post at court. The Nightingale says that it is satisfied with the Emperors tears as reward, and promises to sing for him each night from dusk until dawn.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 18:40:58 +0000
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